Stereo imaging miniature endoscope with single imaging chip and conjugated multi-bandpass filters

ABSTRACT

A dual objective endoscope for insertion into a cavity of a body for providing a stereoscopic image of a region of interest inside of the body including an imaging device at the distal end for obtaining optical images of the region of interest (ROI), and processing the optical images for forming video signals for wired and/or wireless transmission and display of 3D images on a rendering device. The imaging device includes a focal plane detector array (FPA) for obtaining the optical images of the ROI, and processing circuits behind the FPA. The processing circuits convert the optical images into the video signals. The imaging device includes right and left pupil for receiving a right and left images through a right and left conjugated multi-band pass filters. Illuminators illuminate the ROI through a multi-band pass filter having three right and three left pass bands that are matched to the right and left conjugated multi-band pass filters. A full color image is collected after three or six sequential illuminations with the red, green and blue lights.

This application claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/261,217 filed Nov. 13, 2009, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The invention described herein was made in the performance of work undera NASA contract, and is subject to the provisions of Public Law 96-517(35 USC 202) in which the Contractor has elected to retain title.

The present system relates to at least one of a system, method, userinterface (UI), and apparatus for providing stereoscopic images and,more particularly, to small-diameter stereoscopic endoscopes forminimally invasive surgery (MIS) as well as to micro-roboticstereoscopic imagers for providing images for space exploration.

Stereoscopic vision imaging is a well known technology and has been usedeffectively to provide depth perception to displayed images.Stereoscopic imaging devices often use a three-dimensional camera tocapture images and render three-dimensional (3D) images which may beviewed with realistic depth using a 3D-image-rendering device such as a3D display. Such realism is of great importance when performing MISsurgery as minimizes surgical errors and achieves high efficiency duringa MIS procedure. With the advancement of MIS techniques, physical injurydue to incisions at a surgical site is minimized using incisions aretypically about 4 mm in across. However, conventional stereoscopicimaging devices are often bulky as they require two cameras placed sideby side which increases the size of the imaging device. Unfortunately,as MIS typically requires the use of endoscopes which are between 2 and4 mm, conventional imaging devices (e.g., cameras, etc.) cannot be usedbecause of size limitations.

The present system discloses a system, method, apparatus, and computerprogram portion (hereinafter each of which may be referred to as systemunless the context indicates otherwise) suitable to provide stereoscopicimages in an MIS and/or space environment. Accordingly, the presentsystem discloses a small-diameter high-definition stereoscopic endoscopeor boroscope (hereinafter commonly called an endoscope) which may havediameter which is less than 4 mm, such as 1-4 mm including any sizestherebetween, such as 3-4 mm, 2-4 mm, 2-3 mm, etc. However, other rangesare also envisioned. There is also disclosed a micro-roboticstereoscopic imaging system suitable for spacecraft which can providestereoscopic images using a stereoscopic imaging apparatus which may berobotically manipulated and suitable for space exploration. Inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system, there is discloseda stereoscopic imaging device which uses a single Focal Plane Array(FPA) to capture image information related to right and left fields ofview and can provide high definition (e.g., 1000×1000 pixel resolution)images.

The present systems include stereoscopic endoscopes with ConjugatedMulti-Bandpass Filters (CMBFs) covering right and left pupils which maybe formed by a single lens having right and left pupil portions, or twodedicated lenses, one lens for the right pupil and one lens for the leftpupil. Further, the endoscopes may have a single bore or dual bores,wherein in the case of a dual bore endoscope, two lenses are provided,one lens in each bore for use as a right and left pupils. The singlebore endoscope may have one or two lenses. Having a single boreendoscope with a single lens, with conjugated multi-bandpass filterscovering right and left pupils of the single objective lens, is lesscomplex and less costly, and provides for a smaller endoscope ascompared to the dual bore endoscope, and thus allows for furtherminiaturization. Further, using conjugated multi-bandpass filterscovering right and left pupils allows for desired color(s) to passthrough the filters while blocking other colors. This is achievedwithout active shutters, such as without switchable liquid crystal (LC)shutter or mechanical shutters that open or close or move in onedirection or another to close one pupil while the other pupil is open.Of course, if desired, LC switches may be used in front of the pupilsand controlled (such as by a processor) to selectively switch on onlyone pupil at time. Similarly, if desired, a mechanical shutter may beused and moved back and forth to open one pupil while blocking the otherpupil.

Conjugated multi-bandpass filters automatically block undesired lightcolor from entering a pupil provide several advantages, such as notrequiring energy needed in LC shutters, and not require moving partsused in mechanical shutters. Accordingly, energy consumption and failureare reduced and reliability increased while producing high definitionimages in a small area by multispectral imaging.

The CMBF creates two viewpoints in a single lens. The filters are called“conjugated” because the spectral passbands of one filter do not overlapwith those of the other filters; instead the spectral passbands areinterdigitated (see FIG. 9), where each color band is divided into rightand left colors, such right red R_(R), left red R_(L), right greenG_(R), left green G_(L), right blue B_(R) and left blue B_(L). In oneembodiment, circular CMBFs are used which are each cut in half andjoined with the conjugated other half to form the CMBF full circlecovering a portion or the entire single objective lens and providingright and left pupil portions, so that the full circle CMBF can fitalong with other circular optical elements, such as over a circularsingle objective lens. When a light band matching to a bandpass of oneCMBF is illuminated, the one half CMBF passes a light band, but theother half CMBF stops the same light band. A region of interest isilluminated using a series of light bands matching to the passbands ofthe CMBFs for capturing multispectral images and forming stereoscopic 3Dimages.

It should be noted that each sub-color, such as right and left redsR_(R), R_(L) does not exactly match the full red color due to the halfmissing band, where each sub color is knows as a metamer. However,binocular color mixture appears to be taking place where the finalstereo 3D images have high definition and satisfactory color richness toallow depth perception and color distinction for various applications,such as endoscope-based surgeries, wireless endoscopy, navigations forminiature robots such as rovers or airborne robots, deployable roboticarms where monitoring depth information is crucial, as well as otherareas where depth perception and/or color distinction are important.

According to another aspect of the present system, there is disclosed anendoscope for providing a stereoscopic three dimensional (3-D) image ofa region of interest inside of a body, the endoscope including one ormore of: a housing having a distal end and a proximal end, the distalend being insertable into a cavity of the body, an imaging device at thedistal end for obtaining optical images of the region of interest, andprocessing the optical images for forming video signals; and a cablebetween the imaging device and the proximal end for connecting theimaging device to an illumination source and/or a display, the cableincluding a signal line for providing the video signals to the displayfor displaying the optical images of the region of interest; wherein theimaging device may include: a single focal plane detector array at afront end facing the region of interest for obtaining the opticalimages, and processing circuits at a back end behind the single focalplane detector array so that the processing circuits does not enlarge across section of the imaging device, the processing circuits beingconfigured to convert the optical images into the video signals; a rightpupil for receiving a right image through a right multi-band pass filterhaving right three pass bands (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)): a left pupil forreceiving a left image through a left multi-band pass filter having leftthree pass bands (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)), wherein the right multi-band passfilter having the right three pass bands (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) is thecomplement of the left multi-band pass filter having left three passbands (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)); a lens system for imaging the right image andthe left image directly on the single focal plane detector array; and/orilluminators for illuminating the region of interest through amulti-band pass filter having the right three pass bands(R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) and the left three pass bands (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)),wherein the multi-band pass filter is matched to the right multi-bandpass filter (of the right pupil) and the left multi-band pass filter (ofthe left pupil) so that when the right pupil receives light reflectedfrom the region of interest then the left pupil is blocked fromreceiving the light.

According to the present system, the right three pass bands(R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) may be separated by right stop bands and the leftthree pass bands (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)) may be separated by left stop bands,the right stop bands matching the left three pass (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)) andthe left stop bands matching the right three pass bands(R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)). Further, the illuminators may, under the control ofthe controller, provide illumination to illuminate the imaging device(625) through the multi-band pass filter so that the region of interestis illuminated one at a time by light within one of the right three passbands (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) and the left three pass bands (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)).Further, right three pass bands (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) and the left threepass bands (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)) may be within a visible spectrum havingthree primary colors (RGB) so that each primary color (R,G,B) is dividedinto a right primary color and a left primary color (R_(R)R_(L),G_(R)G_(L), B_(R)B_(L)), the right primary color being a metamer of theleft primary color.

Further, according to the system, the cable may include: right lightguides for providing a right illumination at the illuminators includingproviding one at a time right sub-lights at the right three pass bands(R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) from the right multi-band pass filter; and/or a leftlight guide for providing a left illumination at the illuminatorsincluding providing one at a time left sub-lights at the left three passbands (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)) from the left multi-band pass filter.

Moreover, the right multi-band pass filter may be illuminated by a rightwhite light source through a right rotating wheel having an aperture forproviding a right white light one at a time to the right multi-band passfilter; and wherein and the left multi-band pass filter may beilluminated by a left white light source through a left rotating wheelhaving an aperture for providing a left white light one at a time to theleft multi-band pass filter; wherein the right and left multi-band passfilters may be located at entrance sides or exit sides of the rightlight guides and the a left light guide, respectively.

Moreover, it is envisioned that the right multi-band pass filter may beilluminated by a white light source through a single rotating wheelhaving three apertures for sequentially providing: a red light through ared multi-band pass filter having right-red (R_(R)) and left-red (R_(L))bands to the right pupil and the left pupil, respectively, a green lightthrough a green multi-band pass filter having right-green (G_(R)) andleft-green (G_(L)) bands to the right pupil and the left pupil,respectively, and/or a blue light through a blue multi-band pass filterhaving right-blue (B_(R)) and left-blue (B_(L)) bands to the right pupiland the left pupil, respectively, wherein a full color image may becollected after three sequential illuminations through the threeapertures of the a single rotating wheel. Further, the cable may includelight guides illuminated by three right white light sources which mayprovide a right illumination including providing one at a time rightsub-lights at the right three pass bands (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) from theright multi-band pass filter; the light guides being further illuminatedby three left white light sources which may provide a left illuminationincluding providing one at a time left sub-lights at the left three passbands (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)) from the left multi-band pass filter.

Further, three right white light sources may each have a bandpass filterhaving one of the right three pass bands (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)), and thethree left white light sources may each have a bandpass filter havingone of the left three pass bands (R_(L)G_(L)R_(L)). The lens system mayinclude a lens configured to image the right image and the left image,one at a time, on substantially an entire area of the single focal planedetector array. Further, a cross section of the imaging device may besubstantially circular, oval, or square. The endoscope may furtherinclude a controller for time-multiplexing the right image and the leftimage imaged sequentially on the single focal plane detector array.

The lens system may further include two lenses configured to image theright image on a first portion of the single focal plane detector array,and image the left image on a second portion of the single focal planedetector array. Further, a footprint of the imaging device issubstantially identical to a footprint of the single focal planedetector array. Moreover, the imaging device may be formed from stackedlayers stacked axially along a longitudinal axis of the endoscope, theimaging device having the single focal plane detector array at the frontend and the processing circuits formed on one or more layers stacked atthe back end of the imaging device over the single focal plane detectorarray, the one or more layers being connected to the single focal planedetector array through connection bumps. Further, the imaging device mayinclude a folded substrate having the single focal plane detector arrayat the front end and the processing circuits at the back end of theimaging device.

According to another aspect of the present system, there is provided adual objective endoscope for insertion into a cavity of a body which mayprovide a stereoscopic three-dimensional image of a region of interestinside of the body, the endoscope may include one or more of: a firstbore having a first lens for receiving first image rays from the regionof interest; a second bore having a second lens for receiving secondimage rays from the region of interest; illuminators for sequentiallyilluminating the region of interest with red, green and blue lights; anda single focal point array for simultaneously imaging the first imagerays and the second image rays on different first and second areas ofthe array, wherein a full color image may be collected after threesequential illuminations with the with the red, green and blue lights,respectively. Moreover, the illuminators may be coupled through at leastone light guide to at least one light source external to the body forproviding the red, green and blue lights. Further at least one lightsource may include a white light source and a rotating color wheel withthree openings covered with red, green and blue filters, respectively,for sequentially providing the red, green and blue lights upon rotationof the color wheel.

It is further envisioned that at least one light source may include red,green and blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a controller forsequentially turning on the red, green and blue light sources one at atime. Further, the at least one light guide may include three lightguides having red, green and blue filters, respectively; the at leastone light source may include a white light source and a wheel; and/orthe wheel has an opening that, upon alignment with one light guide ofthe three light guides when the wheel rotates, may allows the whitelight to pass through the one light guide, for providing sequentialillumination of the three light guides due to rotation of the wheel.

According to yet a further aspect of the present system there isprovided a medical imaging system comprising: a rigid shaft havingproximal and distal ends and an opening situated between the proximaland distal ends, the shaft defining a longitudinal axis extendingbetween the proximal and distal ends; a rod having proximal and distalends and situated within the opening; first and second handles coupledto the shaft at the proximal end of the shaft, wherein one of the firstand second handles may be coupled to the rod; an imaging portionsituated at the distal end of the shaft and coupled to the rod such thatdisplacement of one of the first and second handles towards the other ofthe first and second handles rotates the camera about a second axis. Themedical imaging system may further include a two- or three-dimensionalcamera coupled to the imaging portion. Moreover, the imaging portion mayinclude an illumination source for providing illumination in a directionof the camera. It is further envisioned that the imaging system mayinclude a rack coupled to the distal end of the rod, wherein the imagingportion may further include a pinion situated at the second axis andcoupled to the rack.

According to yet a further aspect of the present system, there isdisclosed a medical imaging system including: a rigid shaft havingproximal and distal ends and an opening situated between the proximaland distal ends, the shaft defining a longitudinal axis extendingbetween the proximal and distal ends; a rod having proximal and distalends and situated within the opening; first and second handles coupledto the shaft at the proximal end of the shaft, one of the first orsecond handles coupled to a proximal end of the rod; and/or an imagingportion situated at the distal end of the shaft and coupled to a distalend of the rod such that displacement of one of the first and secondhandles towards the other of the first and second handles rotates thecamera about a second axis.

A two- or three-dimensional camera may be coupled to the imagingportion. Further, imaging portion may further include an illuminationsource for providing illumination in a direction of the camera.Moreover, a rack may be coupled to the distal end of the rod, and therack may include a plurality of teeth. Moreover, a pinion may be coupledto the rack and have an axis which is parallel to the second axis.Further, the camera may have a viewing direction which can rotate morethan 120 degrees about the second axis. Accordingly, the camera may havea viewing direction which projects substantially forward or rearwardalong the longitudinal axis of the rigid shaft.

According to yet another aspect of the present system, there isdisclosed an endoscope system for obtaining three dimension (3D) images,the endoscope system may include: a multi-bandpass filter whichsequentially passes a different color spectrum of light of a pluralityof color spectrums of light during an image illumination interval suchthat a different color of light is passed during each image illuminationinterval of a plurality of image illumination intervals which form animage illumination period; an image capture portion which sequentiallycaptures a plurality of images each corresponding with a different colorspectrum of light which passes through the multi-bandpass filter duringa corresponding image illumination interval of the plurality of imageillumination intervals; an image processing portion which processes thesequentially captured plurality of images for each image illuminationinterval of and forms corresponding 3D image information correspondingwith a plurality of the sequentially captured plurality of images;and/or a three dimensional display which may render the 3D imageinformation.

Moreover, the endoscope may include an illumination device including atleast one source configured to sequentially output the different colorspectrum of light during each image illumination interval such thatdifferent color spectrums of light are output during any two successiveimage illumination intervals of the plurality of image illuminationintervals. Further, the illumination device includes: a motor; and/or adisk having one or more openings covered with at least onemulti-bandpass filter and coupled to the motor, wherein the motorrotates the disk at a rotational frequency which is inversely related toimage illumination period for sequentially providing different colorspectrum of light during each image illumination period or interval.

Moreover, in accordance with a further aspect of the present system,there is disclosed a medical endoscope system for obtainingthree-dimensional images, the medical endoscope system may include: amulti-bandpass optical filter which sequentially passes a differentcolor spectrum of light, of a plurality of color spectrums of light,during a image illumination interval; an image capture portion whichsequentially captures a plurality of images each corresponding with adifferent color spectrum of light which passes through themulti-bandpass optical filter; an image processing portion whichprocesses the sequentially captured plurality of images for each imageillumination interval and forms corresponding 3D image information;and/or a three dimensional display which renders the 3D imageinformation. Further, an illumination source may be included and may beconfigured to sequentially output different color spectrums of light.The multi-bandpass optical filter may further include a disk having oneor more openings forming pupils. Moreover, the multi-bandpass filter maybe located at a distal end of the endoscope.

According to other aspects of the present system, there is disclosed amethod to obtain three dimensional images from an endoscope, the methodcomprising the acts of: sequentially passing a different color spectrumof light of a plurality of color spectrums of light through amulti-bandpass filter during an image illumination interval such that adifferent color of light is passed through the multi-bandpass filterduring each image illumination interval of a plurality of imageillumination intervals which form an image illumination period;sequentially capturing a plurality of images each corresponding with adifferent color spectrum of light which passes through themulti-bandpass filter during a corresponding image illumination intervalof the plurality of image illumination intervals using an image captureportion; processing the sequentially captured plurality of images foreach image illumination interval and forming corresponding 3D imageinformation corresponding with the sequentially captured plurality ofimages using an image processing portion; and/or rendering the 3D imageinformation on a display of the system configured to display threedimensional images. Moreover, the method may include acts ofsequentially outputting the different color spectrum of light duringeach image illumination interval such that different color spectrums oflight are output during any two successive image illumination intervalsof the plurality of image illumination intervals. Further, the methodmay include an act of selectively controlling a tunable multi-bandpassoptical filter to pass only currently selected spectrum of light of theplurality of color spectrums of light each different from each other.The method may also include an act of synchronizing two or more of anilluminator, a multi-bandpass optical filter, and an image captureportion to operate substantially synchronously with each other tosequentially illuminate the region of interest using different colorlights and to sequentially form different color images of the region ofinterest on a single imaging device or a single Focal Plane Array (FPA).

According to yet other aspects of the present system, there is discloseda method to obtain three dimensional images from an endoscope, themethod may include acts of: sequentially passing a different colorspectrum of light, of a plurality of color spectrums of light, during aimage illumination interval using a multi-bandpass optical filter;sequentially capturing a plurality of images each corresponding with adifferent color spectrum of light which passes through themulti-bandpass optical filter using an image capture portion; processingthe sequentially captured plurality of images for each imageillumination interval and forming corresponding 3D image informationusing an image processing portion; and/or rendering the 3D imageinformation on a display of the system configured to display threedimensional images. The method may further include an act of situatingan optical lens portion of the endoscope between the multi-bandpassoptical filter and the image processing portion at a distal end of theendoscope at an end of the endoscope and within a body barrel of theendoscope. Moreover, the method may include an act of forming the mainbody barrel of the endoscope to have proximal and distal ends and anoutside diameter less than 4 mm at the distal end. The method mayfurther include an act of situating the multi-bandpass filter at adistal end of the endoscope.

The invention is explained in further detail, and by way of example,with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1A is a side cross sectional view of a dual-objective endoscope inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 1B is a view of the endoscope taken along lines 1B-1B′ of FIG. 1Ashowing a front view of the FPA;

FIG. 1C shows a front view of an FPA in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present system;

FIG. 1D is a front view of the endoscope in accordance with anembodiment of the present system;

FIG. 2A is a schematic view of a system using an LED light source inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 2B is a schematic view of a system using a white light source inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 2C is a schematic view of a system using a white light source inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an imaging unit accordance with anembodiment of the present system;

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a compact imaging unit in accordancewith an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 3C is a schematic view of an endoscope including an imaging devicehaving a folded imager in accordance with an embodiment of the presentsystem;

FIG. 3D is a schematic view of an endoscope including an alternativeimaging device in accordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 4A which is a schematic view of an endoscope in accordance with anembodiment of the present system;

FIG. 4B is a front view of the endoscope in accordance with anembodiment of the present system;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an endoscope system in accordance with anembodiment or the present system;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the endoscope in accordance with an embodimentof the present system;

FIG. 7A is a schematic view of the imaging device components of theendoscope in accordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 7B is a front view of the endoscope showing semicircular right andleft conjugated multi-bandpass filters (CMBFs) in accordance with anembodiment of the present system;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an illumination source of the endoscope inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 9 which is a graph illustrating pass and stop bands of a multi-bandpass filter in accordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 10A is a schematic view of a system in accordance with anembodiment of the present system;

FIG. 10B is a schematic view of a system in accordance with anembodiment of the present system;

FIG. 10C which is a graph of colors passed through the first throughthird apertures in accordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 11A shows an imaging system having an endoscope with a single lensin accordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 11B shows an imaging system having an endoscope with a dual lensconfiguration in accordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 12A shows a front perspective view of a stereoscopic imaging systemin accordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 12B shows a rear perspective view of a stereoscopic imaging systemof FIG. 12A in accordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 13 illustrates a stereoscopic imaging device in accordance with anembodiment of the present system;

FIG. 14 illustrates an endoscope in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent system;

FIG. 15 is a detailed view of the distal end portion of the endoscope inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 16 is a detailed view of the distal end portion of the endoscope inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIG. 17 is a detailed view of the camera portion of the endoscope inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system;

FIGS. 18A-18B are detailed views of a distal end portion of an endoscopein accordance with an embodiment of the present system:

FIG. 19 shows a flow diagram that illustrates a process in accordancewith an embodiment of the present system; and

FIG. 20 shows a portion of a system (e.g., peer, server, etc.) inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system.

The following are descriptions of illustrative embodiments that whentaken in conjunction with the following drawings will demonstrate theabove noted features and advantages, as well as further ones. In thefollowing description, for purposes of explanation rather thanlimitation, illustrative details are set forth such as architecture,interfaces, techniques, element attributes, etc. However, it will beapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodimentsthat depart from these details would still be understood to be withinthe scope of the appended claims. Moreover, for the purpose of clarity,detailed descriptions of well known devices, circuits, tools, techniquesand methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of thepresent system. It should be expressly understood that the drawings areincluded for illustrative purposes and do not represent the scope of thepresent system. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numbers indifferent drawings may designate similar elements.

As used herein, the term endoscope will refer to medical scopes forviewing an enclosed area such as, for example, laparoscopes, boroscopes,bronchoscopes, colonoscopes, choledoshoscopes, duodenoscopes,echoendoscopes, enteroscopes, esophagoschoes, gastrocopes,laryngoscopes, rhinolaryngoscopes, simoidoscopes, and/or other similarimaging apparatus. Further, it is envisioned that spectroscopic camera(e.g., imaging) portions described herein may be used in vehicles suchas aircraft, space exploration, remote controlled (e.g., unmanned)rovers, robots, etc., in (e.g., space-, air-, land-, and/orunderwater-based environments. Further, navigation systems may interfacewith the present system so as to provide remote navigation capabilitiesof these vehicles. The present system including spectroscopic 3D cameramay be incorporated and/or coupled with the various aforementioned andother systems and miniature configurations to provide spectroscopic 3Dimages, including depth perception of the images captures by thespectroscopic 3D camera, e.g., for remote navigation, imaging,exploration and the like of objects including miniature objects and/orsmall crevices, openings, channels in the objects, which may be any typeof body, whether human, animate, and/or inanimate.

For purposes of simplifying a description of the present system, theterms “operatively coupled”, “coupled” and formatives thereof asutilized herein refer to a connection between devices and/or portionsthereof that enables operation in accordance with the present system.For example, an operative coupling may include one or more of a wiredconnection and/or a wireless connection between two or more devices thatenables a one and/or two-way communication path between the devicesand/or portions thereof. For example, an operative coupling may includea wired and/or a wireless coupling to enable communication between acontent server (e.g., a search engine, etc.) and one or more userdevices. A further operative coupling, in accordance with an embodimentof the present system may include one or more couplings between two ormore user devices, directly or via a network source, such as the contentserver.

The term rendering and formatives thereof as utilized herein refer toproviding content, such as digital media which may include, for example,audio information, visual information, audiovisual information, etc.,such that it may be perceived by at least one user sense, such as asense of sight and/or a sense of hearing. For example, the presentsystem may render a user interface (UI) on a display device so that itmay be seen and interacted with by a user. Further, the present systemmay render audio visual content on both of a device that renders audibleoutput (e.g., a speaker, such as a loudspeaker) and a device thatrenders visual output (e.g., a display). To simplify the followingdiscussion, the term content and formatives thereof will be utilized andshould be understood to include audio content, visual content, audiovisual content, textual content and/or other content types, unless aparticular content type is specifically intended, as may be readilyappreciated.

The user interaction with and manipulation of the computer environmentmay be achieved using any of a variety of types of human-processorinterface devices that are operationally coupled to a processor (e.g., acontroller, a logic device, etc.) or processors controlling the displayenvironment. The system may operate alone or in accordance with a userinterface (UI) such as a graphical user interface (GUI) which may berendered on a display of the system. The display may include a two- orthree-dimensional display.

Stereoscopic endoscopes according to the present systems includeConjugated Multi-Bandpass Filters (CMBFs) integrated with and/orcovering one or more objective lenses (at the distal end of singleand/or multiple bores) to project and form sub-images directly on asingle Focal Plane Array (FPA) without using lenticular lens arraysand/or relay lenses typically used to form images on an imager and/or torelay optical images to an eyepiece at the proximal end of conventionalendoscopes. Optical sub-images, captured by the FPA at the distal end ofthe endoscopes according to the present systems, are processed to form3D images and/or sub-image data/information, such as by convertingoptical images and/or sub-images to digital form, e.g., by ananalog-to-digital (A/D) converter for processing by a processor, e.g.,to form 3D image data from (e.g., 3 or 6) sets of sub-image data.

Unlike conventional endoscopes and boroscopes, endoscopes in accordancewith embodiments of the present system dispense with the need for alenticular lens portion, and project right and left images directly on asingle FPA without any lenticular lens portion. Accordingly, endoscopesin accordance with the present system provide images from the objectivelens system to the FPA without the need for a lenticular lens or lensarray. Further, both the objective lens system and the FPA may belocated at a distal end of the endoscope and may be inserted inside abody for viewing a region of interest. Integrated circuitry formed on/ina semiconductor substrate such as an Integrated Silicon on Chip (ISOC)substrate may also be included at, for example, the distal end of theendoscope.

FIG. 1A is a side cross sectional view of a dual-objective endoscope 100in accordance with an embodiment of the present system. The endoscope100 may include first and second sub-units 102 and 104, respectively,which may be identical to each other and may be situated adjacent toeach other. The first sub-unit 102 may carry a right image and thesecond sub-unit 104 may carry a left image. As shown in FIG. 1A, thedual objective endoscope 100 comprises a first bore 110 having a firstlens 112 for receiving first image rays 114 from an ROI 115; and asecond bore 120 having a second lens 122 for receiving second image rays124 from the ROI 115. The first and second lenses 112, 122 may eachinclude several lenses, such as an objective lens (112, 122) forcollecting the image rays 114, 124, a focusing lens (116, 126) to focusthe collected image rays 114, 124 on a single Focal Plane Array (FPA)130. Light sources or illuminators 150 (FIG. 1D) may sequentiallyilluminate the region of interest 115 with different colored lights,such as red, green and blue lights. The first sub-unit 102 may belocated in the first bore 110 and the second sub-unit 104 may be locatedin the second bore 120. The first and second bores 110, 120 may belocated in a main bore 160 of a body 165 having a distal end 170 and aproximal end 180. Accordingly, portions of endoscopes whichcarry/project the right image may be known as a right image channel andthose portions of the endoscope which carry/project the left image maybe known as a left image channel. During use, the distal end 170 of theendoscope 100 is typically inserted within a body 182 through a cavityor opening 184 of a body 120 while the proximal end 180 remains outsideof the body 105. The body 120 may be that of a patient, human orotherwise, as well as the body of any inanimate object where it isdesired to look inside the object.

The lenses 112, 122 may simultaneously receive light reflected from theregion of interest 115 for simultaneously imaging the first/right andsecond/left image rays 114, 124 on different (right and left) areas 132,134, respectively, of the FPA 130. When the time-sequential illuminationprovides RGB light one at a time, after three sequences, a full colorimage is collected on the FPA 130. For example, three (e.g., RGB) rightimages may be sequentially superimposed on the right area 132, andsimultaneously three (RGB) left images may be sequentially superimposedon the left area 134, as described in connection with FIGS. 1B-1D.Accordingly, in the present embodiment, three images may be captured toform a full color image. However, in embodiments which include ashutter, such as is described below in connection with FIGS. 7A-7B, siximages may be necessary to obtain a full color image.

FIG. 1B is a view of the endoscope 100 taken along line 1B-1B′ of FIG.1A showing a front view of the FPA 130. The right image area 132 of theFPA 130 captures the first/right image rays (projection) 114 and theleft image area 134 of the FPA 130 captures the second/left image rays(projection) 124. Although a round FPA 130 and square image areas 132,134 are shown, it is envisioned that the FPA 130 and image areas 132,134 may include other shapes and/or sizes, such as an oval and/or arectangular shape type, etc., where the FPA 130 and the image areas 132,134 may have the same or different shape types. For example, FIG. 1Cshows a front view of an oval FPA 130′ in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present system. The FPA 130′ includes square (or roundor any desired shape) right image area 132′ and left image area 134′which correspond with the right image area 132 and the left image area134, respectively, of the FPA 130 shown in FIG. 1B.

FIG. 1D is a front view of the endoscope 100 along line 1D-1D′ of FIG.1A showing an imaging unit 190 that includes the right objective lens112, and the left objective lens 122, where both lenses 112, 114simultaneously receive light emitted from illuminators 150 and reflectedfrom the ROI 405. The illuminators 150 may be arranged around theperiphery of the imaging unit 190 and may be configured (e.g., under thecontrol of a controller or processor) to sequentially provide differentlight of different wavelengths and therefore colors (e.g., correspondingwith an RGB spectrum) one at a time. For example, at time t1, theilluminators 150 may provide red light, in response to which red rightand left images may be captured simultaneously on the right image area132 and the left image area 134 of the FPA 130 (shown in FIG. 1A-1B).Then, at a later time such as at time t2, the illuminators 150 mayprovide green light, and green right and left images may be capturedsimultaneously on the right image area 132 and the left image area 134of the FPA 130. Then, at yet a later time such as t3, the illuminators150 may provide blue light and blue right and left images may becaptured simultaneously on the right image area 132 and the left imagearea 134 of the FPA 130. The system may then superimpose informationrelated to the captured green and blue right and left images (e.g.,captured at times t2 and t3) upon the captured red right and left images(e.g., captured at time t1) so as to form a full color three dimensionalimages which may be displayed on a display of the system. Accordingly,after time t3, that is after three sequences of illumination (e.g., ofred, green, and blue light), a full color image may be captured by theright and left image areas 132 and 134, respectively, for furtherprocessing by an Integrated Silicon on Chip (ISOC). Accordingly, threeimages from each of the right and left image areas 132 and 134,respectively, of the FPA 130 may be processed to form a full colorimage, where a right image is formed on a right image area 132 of theFPA 130, and a left image is formed on a left image area 134 of the FPA130. A processor may be configured to correlate and combine the threeright and left images to form a stereo and/or 3D image.

The sequential illumination with red, green, and blue light (e.g., oneat a time), may be provided using any suitable light source such as bylight emitting diodes (LEDs), xenon sources, etc. For example, FIG. 2Ais a schematic view of a system 200A using an LED light source inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system. The system 200A mayinclude an endoscope (e.g., such as an endoscope viewed from the fronthaving an imaging unit 190′), red, green, and blue LEDs 210, 212, and214, respectively, which may provide corresponding light (e.g., red,green, and blue) to an illuminator 150 of the imaging unit 190′ via alight channel 230. The light channel 230 may include any suitable lightconducting channel such as a fiber optic light channel, an acrylic lightchannel, etc.

In one embodiment, the light channel 230 comprises one or more fiberoptics to directly illuminate the ROI 15 from light exiting through thedistal or exit end(s) of the fiber optics(s), such as through theilluminators 150 shown in the various figures of the variousembodiments, such as FIGS. 1D, 2A-2C, 5-8, and 10A-10B, for example. Inanother embodiment instead of direct illumination, one or more interfaceunits, such as one or more periscopes to be described in connection withFIG. 16, may receive light from the distal end(s) of the light guide(s),e.g., at least one fiber optic cable. The periscope(s) directs, e.g.,reflects, light into a light exit unit which is located around the rightand left pupils and directs light out to illuminate the ROI 115.

The light channel 230 may also include a coupler portion which maycouple the LED 210, 212, and/or 214 to the light channel 230 and adecoupler portion which may couple the light channel 230 to theilluminator 150. The LEDs 210, 212, and/or 214 may emit monochromaticlight and may be sequentially turned on one at a time under the controlof a controller 220. The controller 220 and/or the LEDs 210, 212, and/or214 may be located at, or connected to, a proximal end 180 (FIG. 1A) ofthe endoscope 100, for example, such that the light provided by the LEDsmay be transmitted through light guide(s) or light channel(s) 230 suchas fiber optic(s), to the illuminators 150 of the imaging unit 190′ atthe distal end of the endoscope 100.

FIG. 2B is a schematic view of a system 200B using a white light source235 in accordance with another embodiment of the present system. Thewhite light source 235 may include a suitable light source emittinglight which corresponds with a desired spectrum or spectrums such as awhite spectrum. A filter such as a filter 237 may be included to passonly desired wavelengths (or frequencies, etc.) of light under thecontroller 220. The filter 237 may include a solid state and/or analogfilter. For example, the filter 237 may include a rotating color wheel240 that has three openings covered with red, green and blue filters250, 252, 254, respectively. As the color wheel 240 is rotated (e.g., bya motor 248 such as a stepper motor under the control of the controller220 at a desired rotational frequency (ω)), such that the filter maysequentially pass a single color of light to the illuminators 150 viathe light channel 230 at a time.

FIG. 2C is a schematic view of a system 200C using a white light source235 in accordance with an embodiment of the present system. The system200C may be similar to the system 200B. However, the system 200C mayinclude a rotating wheel 280 which may include a single opening (asopposed to the three openings of the rotating wheel 240 of system 200B)and filtered light channels (270, 272, and 274). The filtered lightchannels 270, 272, 274 may pass only desired wavelengths of light suchas wavelengths of light which correspond with red, green, and blue lightspectrums, respectively (and therefore block other wavelengths oflight). It is further, envisioned that the rotating wheel 280 mayinclude a plurality of openings. During operation, the light may passfrom the white light source 235 through the opening to a single one ofthe filtered light channels 270, 272, 274. Thus, color filters areassociated with the light channels, such as provided at entrance and/orexit faces 260, 262 of each of the light channels 270, 272, 274. In thiscase, three light channels 270, 272, 274 are provided, one having a redfilter, a second channel having a green filter and the third lightchannel having a blue filter. The rotating wheel 280 has one opening 285that allows white light from a white light source 235 to pass to onechannel when the opening is aligned with the channel or light guide. Asthe rotating wheel 280 rotates, the opening 285 sequentially allowswhite light to enter the entrance faces on one channel at a time. InFIG. 2C, the opening 285 is aligned with the red channel 270 so that redlight 290 is provided to the illuminators 150 at the distal end of theendoscope. At a later time, such as time t2, when the wheel 280 rotatesand the opening is aligned with the green channel 272, then green light292 is provided to the illuminators 150 and so on, where similarly at alater time t3 when the wheel 280 rotates and the opening is aligned withthe blue channel 274, then blue light 294 is provided to theilluminators 150 for illuminating the ROI sequentially with red, greenand blue lights 290, 292, 294.

In summary, the FPA 130 of an endoscope in accordance with an embodimentof the present system may simultaneously capture right and left opticalimages directly received (e.g., one color at a time) from an objectivelens system of the endoscope and convert right and left optical images(via an analog-to-digital converter (A/D)) to digital signals which maythen be processed by an Integrated Silicon on Chip (ISOC). That is, attime t1, both right and left red images (e.g., of an ROI) aresimultaneously imaged on the right and left areas 132, 134 of the FPA130 (FIGS. 1A-1B); at time t2, both right and left green images aresimultaneously imaged on the right and left areas 132, 134 of the FPA130; and at time t3, both right and left blue images are simultaneouslyimaged on the right and left areas 132, 134 of the FPA 130.

The various illumination schemes and system shown in FIG. 2A-2C may beused with various embodiments of the present endoscopes and/or systems,and different combinations thereof, such as single and/or double boreendoscopes, using mono and/or color FPA, to form sub-images on theentire or sub-portions of the FPA, for example.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an imaging unit 300 in accordance withan embodiment of the present system. The imaging unit 300 may includeone or more of an FPA 310 and an Integrated Silicon on Chip (ISOC) 320which are formed on the same surface of a semiconductor substrateadjacent to where the FPA 310. Unfortunately, by placing the ISOC 320next to the imager/FPA 310 (i.e., on the same surface of a substrate)the footprint of the imaging unit 300 is increased (e.g., from lengthl₁=4 mm to l_(2=6.5) mm or more). This may increase a diameter of acorresponding endoscope, which may not be desirable, as a largerincision or opening (e.g., see, 184, FIG. 1A) in the body (e.g., see,182, FIG. 1A) is required for insertion of the endoscope through theopening (e.g., 184, FIG. 1A). A compact imaging unit is shown in FIG.3B. In particular, FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a compact imagingunit 325 in accordance with another embodiment of the present system.The imaging unit 325 may include an FPA 330 on a first side of asubstrate and an ISOC 340 on an opposite side of the substrate.Accordingly, the imaging device 325 may have a footprint which issubstantially identical to a footprint of the single FPA 330 where theISOC 340 is on opposite side of the substrate of the FPA 330. Theimaging unit 325 may be referred to as a folded imager 325.

FIG. 3C is a schematic view of an endoscope 300C including an imagingdevice having a folded imager 325C in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present system for capturing images from the ROI 115. The foldedimager 325C may be formed from stacked layers 360, 360′, 360″ stackedaxially along a longitudinal axis 365 of the endoscope 300C. The imagingdevice 325C may include a single FPA 330 at a front end 372 and theprocessing circuits (e.g., including an ISOC) 340C formed on at leastone layer stacked at a back end 374 of the imaging device 325C (whichmay be similar to the imaging device 325 shown in FIG. 3B) over thesingle FPA 330. The ISOC stack(s) 340C may be connected to the singleFPA 330 through connection bumps 370.

FIG. 3D is a schematic view of an endoscope 300D including analternative imaging device 325D in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent system for capturing images from the ROI 115. Instead of stacksconnected by bumps 370 of the imaging device 325C (of FIG. 3C), theimaging device 325D may include a folded substrate 380 having the singleFPA 330 at the front end 672 and the ISOC 340D at the back end 374 ofthe imaging device 325D. The folded flexible substrate 380 may be formedfrom patterned silicon membrane or flexible printed circuit boards, orother suitable material.

The optical images captured by the FPA 330 (i.e., directly received fromthe objective lens system) are converted (by an A/D) to digital signals(e.g., digital image information) which may be processed by an imageprocessor such as the ISOC 340 located behind the FPA 330. The ISOC 340processes the digital signals (i.e., the digital image informationrepresenting the optical images captured by the FPA 330) and outputsvideo signals which are transmitted (e.g., using a wired or wirelesscommunication method) to a display screen of the system for viewing of3D/stereo images of the ROI 115 (FIG. 1A) by a user (e.g., a surgeon,etc.). The system may also record 3D image information correspondingwith the images for later use and/or may transmit the 3D imageinformation to one or more locations for remote viewing (e.g., by aremote surgeon, etc.).

Another embodiment of the present invention uses a split pupil havingright and left pupils. To achieve stereo vision or three dimensionalvision (3D), different right and left images may be captured by the FPAand processed to form a 3D image. In some of the previous embodiment,both the right and left portions of the FPA (or right and left pupils)(e.g., corresponding with right and left image channels, respectively)receive light/images simultaneously. However, in embodiments where eachimage channel has its own bore (e.g., 110, 120) as shown in FIG. 1A,different right and left images received by the right and left pupils orlenses 112 and 122, respectively, are imaged on different areas 132, 134of the FPA 130, as shown in FIG. 1B, thus providing stereoscopic imageinformation which may be processed to form a 3D image.

In other embodiments, instead of having both right and leftpupils/lenses receive images simultaneously, various schemes may beprovided such that an image captured by the endoscope is only passesthrough a single pupil at any one time. For example,

Conjugated Multi-Bandpass Filters (CMBFs) may be provided to cover, orbe integrated with, the right and left pupils which may be formed by asingle lens having right and left pupil portions, or two dedicatedlenses, one lens for the right pupil and one lens for the left pupil,for use in single and/or dual bore endoscopes. Instead of CMBFs locatedover, or integrated with, the right and left pupil, switchable liquidcrystal (LC) shutters or mechanical shutters may be controlled by acontroller such that only one pupil passes image light reflected fromthe ROI at any one time to project the passed image light oversubstantially the entire area of the FPA, thus increasing resolution ascompared to projecting images on only a portion of the FPA, where aprocessor construct a 3D image from six sequential sub-images (R_(R),G_(L), B_(R), and BO, each projected over the entire FPA area. Ofcourse, if desired, right and left images may be simultaneouslyprojected over right and left portions of the FPA, resulting in reducedresolution, however, faster acquisition time for forming a 3D image,since the 3D image in this case is constructed by the processor fromthree (instead of six) sequential projections of simultaneous right andleft sub-images (R_(R) R_(L), G_(R) G_(L), and B_(R) B_(L)). Forexample, the controller and/or processor may vary a voltage applied toright and left LC shutters located over the right and left pupils, suchthat one LC shutter is open/transparent to pass the image light, and theother LC shutter is closed or not transparent to block the image lightfrom passing through the other shutter. Alternatively, a controller maycontrol movement of a mechanical shutter, as shown in FIGS. 4A-4B.

In particular, FIG. 4A shows a schematic view of an endoscope system 400in accordance with another embodiment of the present system. Theendoscope system 400 includes one or more of a controller 410, amicro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) shutter 415 for allowing timemultiplexing of sub-images, an illumination portion 420, 420′, a lensportion 425, and an FPA 430. The illumination portion 750 may include alight source, e.g., an external white light source in case the FPA is acolor FPA having a color filter, or a light source(s) that providesdifferent colors of light sequentially, e.g., Red (R), Green (G), andBlue (B) light. Optical guides may also be provided to direct theexternal light form the proximal end to a distal end of the endoscopewhere the light is then directed away from the endoscope to illuminatean ROI 115. Of course colored light source(s) may also be used with amonochrome FPA, where each color sequentially illuminates the ROI 115.The lens portion 425 may include one or more lenses which may project aright or left image of the ROI 115 upon the FPA 430 depending uponsettings of the shutter 415 as will be discussed below. The shutter 415may include a right shutter opening (or pupil) 440 and a left shutteropening (or pupil) 445 which may block or allow light to passtherethrough based upon a control signal from the controller 410.Accordingly, the right and left shutter openings (pupils) 440, 445,respectively, may include filters, shutters, or gates which may operateunder the control of the controller 410 and act to pass or block lightfrom passing therethrough based upon one or more control signalstransmitted from the controller 410 to the shutter 415 so as to allowonly right or left images to be projected upon the FPA 430 at any onetime.

Thus, to ensure that only a right image is projected upon the FPA 430,the right shutter opening 440 may be opened so as to allow light to passtherethrough and the left shutter opening 445 may be substantially orfully closed so as to block light from passing therethrough.Accordingly, the FPA 430 may be controlled to capture a right image(e.g., at a given wavelength). Thus, to ensure that only a left image isprojected upon the FPA 430, the left shutter opening 445 may be openedso as to allow light to pass therethrough and the right shutter opening440 may be substantially or fully closed so as to block light frompassing therethrough. Accordingly, the FPA 430 may be controlled tocapture a left image or a portion thereof (e.g., a red, green, or blueportion/sub-image). Thus, for example, the right pupil may be blockedand light may be allowed to pass only through the left pupil, and viceverse. The shutter may include a liquid crystal (LC) type shutter whichmay be electronically controlled (e.g., by the controller 410) to allowlight to pass or block light from passing through a corresponding rightor left pupil 440 and 445, respectively. The controller 410 may apply avoltage to right or left shutter covering the right and left pupils 440and 445, respectively, to control a state (e.g., open or blocked) of acorresponding shutter. However as described, it is also envisioned thatthe shutter 415 may include a mechanical shutter portion (e.g., arotating disk or a linear shutter coupled to a motor controlled by thecontrol portion 410) which may be mechanically rotated or linearly movedback and form between the two pupils 440, 445, to block one of thepupils.

FIG. 4B is a front view of the endoscope system 400 in accordance withan embodiment of the present system. The shutter 415 may be mounted atthe distal end of the endoscope 400. The shutter 415 is shown in aposition covering or closing the left pupil 445 such that light cannotpass through the left pupil 445. Conversely, the right pupil 440 isshown in an open position in such that light can pass through the rightpupil 440. Accordingly images of, for example, the ROI 115 may only passthrough the right pupil 440 and will not pass through the left pupil 445at the present cycle.

In the various embodiments of the present system, instead ofillumination with colored light and use of a monochrome FPA, white lightmay be used along with a color FPA or an FPA having a color filter. Forexample, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A-4B as well in the otherdescribed embodiments, the illumination portion 420, 420′ may providewhite light and the FPA 430 may include a color FPA which may form colorimages. A color FPA may include, for example, a monochrome FPA with acolor filter array of RGB filters situated at, for example, the rightand left shutter openings 440 and 445, respectively. The color filtersmay include an RGB filter group and may be provided on, for example, awheel (e.g., a rotating wheel as discussed elsewhere) or may becontrolled by the controller 410, or a further controller/processor, soas to block certain colors and/or to allow other colors to passtherethrough. Accordingly, color images may be formed using a monochromeFPA with color filters (e.g., RGB) at the pupils/lenses 440, 445, suchas Conjugated Multi-Bandpass Filters (CMBFs) and/or tunable filters thatmay be tuned by the controller or processor 410 to each one of desiredbands selectively, synchronized by the processor with the illumination,such as with 3 or 6 illumination sequences to capture 3 sub-images(where right and left images are simultaneously imaged on right and leftsides of the FPA, for each of the red (R), green (G) and blue (B)colors, or any desired colors) or 6 sub-images (where each of the 6 RGBright and left sub-images are imaged on the substantially entire area ofthe FPA).

In this case, the ROI 115 may be illuminated with colored light (e.g.,instead of white light) to sequentially provide RGB images to the FPAthrough the CMBFs or tunable filters formed over or integrated with theright and left pupils/lenses 440, 445.

Shutters may be used with RGB light under the control of the controller410 so as to pass certain colors and block other colors at certaintimes. Accordingly, the controller 410 may include functionality tosynchronize the shutters (either mechanical shutters or LC shutters)with the illumination such that, for example, red light is provided(e.g., by the illumination source) when a color (e.g. R, G, or B) filteris activated or a tunable filter is tuned to pass a desired color lightand/or sub-red light.

It is further envisioned that instead of using a shutter or switch toensure that images are passed though one pupil/lens one at a time, i.e.,sequentially, and to eliminate the need to synchronize the sequentialcolor illumination with blocking/passing of images through one pupil ata time, matched complementary or Conjugated Multi-Bandpass Filters(CMBFs), and/or a tunable filter(s) may be used. In particular,complementary right (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) and left (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L))multi-band pass filters are used at the right and left pupils,respectively. Further, the illumination is provided through a multi-bandpass filter which is matched to the complementary right(R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) and left (R_(L) G_(L)B_(L)) multi-band pass filterslocated at the right and left pupils/lenses.

The right (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) and left (R_(L) G_(L)B_(L)) conjugated orcomplementary multi-band pass filters at the right and left pupils donot require energy, have no moving parts, and do not requiresynchronization, since these right (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) and left(R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)) multi-band pass filters are matched to theilluminating light. Thus, when the ROI is illuminated with Red_(Right)(R_(R)) light, this R_(R) light will reflect back from the object ofinterest and enter or pass through only the right pupil through the bandpass filter R_(R) at the right pupil, and is blocked from entering orpassing through the left pupil by the left (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)) multi-bandpass filter located over the left pupil.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an endoscope system 500 in accordance withan embodiment of the present system. The endoscope system 500 mayinclude an endoscope 502 including single bore or housing 505 (insteadof having two bores 110, 120 of the dual objective endoscope 100 shownin FIG. 1A). The endoscope system 500 may provide a stereoscopic 3-Dimage of an object or the ROI 115 inside of the body 182. During use,the endoscope 502 may be inserted into the body 182 through an openingor cavity 184 which, for example, may include a natural opening, anincision, etc. The housing 505 may have a distal end 510 and a proximalend 515, where the distal end 510 is insertable into the cavity oropening 184 of the body 182. An imaging device 325 for obtaining opticalimages of the ROI 115 is located at the distal end 510 and may includean imager or FPA 330 which may capture images projected thereon, aprocessor to process the images captured by the FPA 330 and to formoutput signals such as video signals. The processor may include ISOCcircuitry 340 or other suitable processor(s), where the ISOC includingthe processor(s) 340 is behind the FPA 330 and has the same footprint ofthe FPA 330, where a length or diameter of the footprint may be 4 mm orless, such as 1-4 mm including any sizes therebetween, such as 3-4 mm,2-4 mm, 2-3 mm, etc.

The imaging device 325 device may be coupled to one or more of anillumination source 550, a display 555, and a controller 595 using wiredand/or wireless coupling techniques and/or connecting devices. Forexample, a cable 545 may couple the imaging device 325 to theillumination source 550, the display 555, and/or the controller 595. Thecable 545 may include a signal line to transmit video signals (e.g.,from the ISOC) to the display 555 for displaying the optical images ofthe ROI 115 in multi-dimensions (e.g., 3D, etc.). It is furtherenvisioned that a wireless coupling may be used to transmit the videosignals from the ISOC 340 to the display 555. The cable 545 may includeone or more light guide to channel light from the illumination source550 to the illuminators 150 at the front end of the imaging device 325.However, it is also envisioned that the illuminators may be incorporatedwithin the imaging device 325 so as to illuminate the ROI 115 under thecontrol of the controller 595.

The imaging device 325 may include a single focal plane detector arraysuch as the FPA 330 at a front end 565 (of the imaging device 625)facing the region of interest (ROI) 115 for capturing images of the ROI115. The imaging device 325 may further include processing circuitshaving suitable processors such as, for example, the ISOC 340 which maybe located at a back end 575 (of the imaging device 325) behind the FPA330 and may have the same footprint as the FPA 330 so that the ISOC 340does not enlarge an outer cross section 580 of the imaging device 325,where the cross section 580 may be less than 4 mm, such as between 1-4mm. The ISOC 340 may be operative to convert the optical images capturedby the FPA 330 into the video signals for display on the display 555.

A front view of the endoscope 502 in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present system is shown in FIG. 6. The imaging device 325 mayinclude right and left pupils 585 and 590, respectively, which havecomplementary right (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) and left (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L))multi-band pass filters, respectfully, where a single lens 730 (FIG. 7A)in the single bore or housing 505 (unlike the dual lenses 112, 122 inthe two bores 110, 120 of FIG. 1A) projects right and left images on theFPA 330. Thus, the right and left pupils 585 and 590 are different fromthe right and left lenses 112 and 122, respectively, of the dualobjective endoscope of FIG. 1A which independently and simultaneouslyimages right and left images on an FPA. An area of a cross section 580of the endoscope 502 is compact so as to easily pass through an openingor incision in a body.

During operation, the right pupil 585 receives a right image through aright multi-band pass filter (such as Conjugated Multi-Bandpass Filters(CMBFs) 710, 720 shown in FIG. 9) having right three pass bandsR_(R)G_(R)B_(R) 710 as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9. In a similarmanner, the left pupil 590 receives a left image through a leftmulti-band pass filter (such as filter 720 shown in FIGS. 7 and 9)having left three pass bands R_(L)G_(L)B_(L) as illustrated in FIG. 9which is a graph illustrating pass bands and stop bands 910, 920 of aConjugated Multi-Bandpass Filters (CMBFs) 710, 720 in accordance with anembodiment of the present system. As shown in FIG. 9, the rightmulti-band pass filter 710 having the right three pass bandsR_(R)G_(R)B_(R) is the complement of the left multi-band pass filter 720having left three pass bands R_(L)G_(L)B_(L). That is, the pass bandsR_(R)G_(R)B_(R) of the right multi-band pass filter 710 corresponds tothe stop bands 920 of the left multi-band pass filter 720. Similarly,the pass bands R_(L)G_(L)B_(L) of the left multi-band pass filter 720corresponds to the stop bands 910 of the right multi-band pass filter710.

FIG. 7A is a schematic view of the imaging device 325 components of theendoscopic system 500 (FIG. 5) in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent system. The imaging device 325 may further include a lens system730. The lens system 730 may include several lenses, such as anobjective lens and a focusing lens for imaging the right image 740 andthe left image 750 directly on the (single) FPA 330. The illuminators150 (see also FIGS. 4D and 6) illuminate the ROI 115 through ConjugatedMulti-Bandpass Filters (CMBFs) 810 (shown in FIG. 8), having the rightthree pass bands (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) and the left three pass bands(R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)). The multi-band pass filter 810 may be matched to theright multi-band pass filter 710 and the left multi-band pass filter 720(FIGS. 7A-7B and 9) covering the right and left pupils, respectively, sothat when the ROI 115 is illuminated with one color light, such as inthe right red band R_(R), then this R_(R) light reflected from the ROI115 passes through the right pupil 585 through the pass band R_(R) ofthe right multi band filter 710 R_(R)G_(R)B_(R) covering the right pupil585, and is blocked from passing through the left pupil 590 by the stopband 920 (FIG. 9) of the left multi band filter 720 R_(L)G_(L)B_(L),covering the left pupil 590. After six sequential illuminations by anysequence of lights in the bands R_(R)G_(R)B_(R) R_(L)G_(L)B_(L), whereeach of the six sub-images is imaged on the entire FPA (as will bedescribed in connection with FIG. 11A) a full color image is achieved.As previously described and will be described in connection with FIG.11B, both right and left images, e.g., R_(R) and R_(L) images, may besimultaneously imaged on the FPA, by simultaneously illuminating the ROIwith both a right color and a left color (e.g., R_(R) and R_(L)simultaneous illumination), then a full color image is obtained afterthree sequential illuminations. Although, the illumination source 550(see also FIG. 5) may be situated remotely from the endoscope 502, it isalso envisioned that the illumination source 550 may be situated withinthe housing 505 of the endoscope 502 and may be adjacent to or formedintegrally with the illuminators 150.

As shown in FIG. 7B the right and left conjugated multi-bandpass filters(CMBFs) 710′, 720′, used to pass right and left sub-imagesR_(R)G_(R)B_(R) R_(L)G_(L)B, may each have a semicircular shape whichare placed next to each other to form a full circular conjugatedmulti-bandpass filter which may be placed over a lens and/or atransparent support substrate, such as removably placed on a frontand/or a back surface of the lens and/or the transparent supportsubstrate, or removably inserted into an objective lens, or integratedwith a lens, to form and/or cover the right and left pupils of theimaging device 325. This provides for easily converting the binoculartwo-pupil imaging unit or camera 325 into a monocular camera by simplyremoving the CMBF pair 710′, 720′ allowing a user/operator of theendoscope to select between binocular and monocular imaging to obtainbetter images depending on the environment and desired viewingdistances. For example, monocular imaging may be selected and used toview long viewing distances, where depth perception is not as important,while binocular imaging to obtain depth perception may be used forviewing short distances.

Illustratively, for a working distance of 6 to 12 mm, the binocularimaging systems using the CMBF pair 710, 720 (710′, 720′) providesbetter depth resolutions than that without the CMBF over the viewingdistances range between 6 to 12 mm. Improved depth perception or depthresolution is provided at working or viewing distances of 5 mm to 2 cmwith a 60 degree field of view using a negative or wide angle lens bythe embodiments using right and left lenses or openings/aperturesseparated by a distance between 0.5 mm to 2 mm, such as a distance of 1mm, as well as the embodiments where the right and left images arecaptured by the semicircular CMBF pair 710′, 720′ shown in FIG. 7B.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an illumination source 550 (also shown inFIG. 5) of the endoscope 500 in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent system. The illumination source 550 may include a plurality ofsources 830, 832, 834, 840, 842, 844 and corresponding pass band filters(PBFs) R_(R), G_(R), B_(R), R_(L), G_(L), and B_(L) of a multi bandpassfilter 810. The sources 830, 832, 834, 840, 842, and 844 may include anysuitable white light sources such as Xenon sources, etc.

The controller 595 (also shown in FIG. 5) may control the illuminationsource 550 such that the illumination source 550 sequentially turns onthe light sources 830, 832, 834, 840, 842, 844 one at a time so as toilluminate the ROI 110 via light guide(s) 820 and the illuminators 150of the imaging device 325. If desired, lenses 825 may also be providedbetween the CMBFs 810 and the light guide(s) 820. Accordingly, lightfrom the sources 830, 832, 834, 840, 842, 844 may pass through thecorresponding illumination pass-band filters (PBFs) R_(R), G_(R), B_(R),R_(L), G_(L), and B_(L) of the illumination multi bandpass filter 810 sothat the region of interest (ROI) 115 is illuminated one at a time bylight within one of the three right pass bands (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) and thethree left pass bands (R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)) during each illuminationinterval. During each illumination interval, the illuminating light isreflected from the ROI 115 and is passes through the right or leftmulti-band pass filter 710, 720 (shown in FIGS. 7A-7B) covering theright and left pupils 585, 590 to form an image of the ROI 115 projectedupon substantially the whole or entire area 1110 (FIG. 11A) of thesingle FPA 330 and processed by an image processor such as the ISOC 340.Then, after six illumination intervals, namely by lights in the bands ofR_(R)G_(R)B_(R) and R_(L)G_(L)B_(L), the individual images may capturedby the FPA 330 may be superimposed to form a full color image. Forexample, the image data from the ISOC 340 is processed using analgorithm at the display site to combine and form 3D images from the 3or 6 sub-images and/or image data. The right and left images may besuperimposed at the viewing plane of the display 555. Thus, after sixillumination intervals, three (RGB) right images are superimposed overeach other on the entire FPA area 1110 (FIG. 11A) and three (RGB) leftimages are superimposed over each other also on the entire FPA area1110. Six image information or data are processed and correlated by aprocessor to form 3D images displayed on a display 555 (FIG. 5). Insummary, six images may be used to form the full color formed onsubstantially the entire FPA area 1110 (FIG. 11A). That is, each one ofthe six images R_(R), G_(R), B_(R), R_(L), B_(L) (in any sequence) maybe formed on the entire area 1110 (FIG. 11A) of the FPA 330.

Any sequence of illumination using the six Xenon (white) light sourcesmay be used, where three (R_(R)G_(R)B_(R)) right sub-images may becollected and superimposed to form a right image, and three(R_(L)G_(L)B_(L)) left sub-images may be collected and superimposed toform a left image. That is, the illumination to provide the six sources830, 832, 834, 840, 842, 844 may be in any sequences such as R_(R),G_(R), B_(R), R_(L), G_(L), B_(L), or R_(R), R_(L), G_(R), G_(L), B_(R),B_(L), etc. It should be noted that since each color is divided intoright and left bands, such as Red_(Right), (R_(R)) and Red_(Left)(R_(L)), the right and left images are not exactly the same color, butare metamers.

Further, instead of collecting the full color image after sixilluminations (where each of the six images is formed on the entire FPA330), a full color image may be collected after three illuminations(where each right and left image is simultaneously projected onrespective right and left halves 1150, 1155 of an image capture portionsuch as the FPA 330′ of FIG. 11B) using only three Xenon (white) lightsources, with three multi-band pass filters, namely, a first Xe lightsource that provides light through a filter having the bandpass ofR_(R), R_(L), a second Xe light source that provides light through afilter having the bandpass of G_(R), G_(L), and a third Xe light sourcethat provides light through a filter having the bandpass of B_(R),B_(L). Thus, after the first illumination using light in the band R_(R),R_(L), right and left red images are simultaneously imaged on right andleft FPA areas (e.g., see, 132, 134 of FIGS. 1B and 1155 and 1150 ofFIG. 11B) the second illumination with light in the band G_(R), G_(L) isused to image right and left green images simultaneously on the rightand left FPA areas 132, 134 (where the green images are superimposed onthe red images), and the third illumination with light in the bandB_(R), B_(L) is used to image right and left blue images simultaneouslyon the right and left FPA areas 132, 134 (where the blue images aresuperimposed on the previously images red and green images). Again, anysequence of illumination using three Xenon (white) light sources may beused, such as R_(R)R_(L), G_(R)G_(L), B_(R)B_(L) or G_(R)G_(L),R_(R)R_(L), B_(R)B_(L), etc.

FIG. 10A is a schematic view of a system 1000A in accordance with anembodiment of the present system. The system 1000A may be similar to theendoscope system 500. However, the system 1000A may include two whitelight sources (e.g., Xenon, etc.), as will be discussed below, whichprovide illumination instead of three white (Xenon) light sources forillumination to form the right image and another three Xe light sourcesfor illumination to form the left image as was described above inconnection with the embodiment of FIG. 8. Accordingly, the system 1000Aincludes one right light source 1010 is for illumination to form theright image, and one left light source 1020 is for illumination to formthe left image. This is achieved using a right rotating wheel 1080having a single opening 1085 for sequentially illuminating RGB rightchannels or light guides 1070, 1072, 1074 (inside the endoscope 502)that include RGB filters, respectively, such as at their entrance orexit ends 1050, 1060, similar to the embodiment described in connectionwith FIG. 2C. Similarly, a left light source 1020 provides white lightthrough the opening 1087 of a left rotating wheel 1082 for sequentiallyilluminating one at a time the entrance side 1050 of left channels orlight guides 1075, 1077, 1079 that include RGB filters, respectively.The right and left light sources 1080 and 1020, respectively, may becontrolled by the controller 595 (FIG. 5). Similarly, the right and leftwheels 1085 and 1082, respectively, may be controlled by the controller595 (FIG. 5) to rotate at a desired angular frequency (ω) and may besynchronized with operation of the right and left sources 1080 and 1020,respectively, and/or the FPA. The right and left light guides 1070,1072, 1074, 1075, 1077, 1079 are coupled to the illuminators 150 forilluminating the ROI 115.

FIG. 10B is a schematic view of a system 1000B in accordance with anembodiment of the present system. In the system 1000B, light from awhite source 1010 such as a Xenon lamp may be selectively passed throughsingle rotating wheel 1083 having first, second and third apertures1038R, 1038G, and 1038B, respectively, used to receive white light fromthe source 1310, for example. The three apertures 1038R, 1038G, and1038B are respectively covered with, or include, red, green, and bluefilters, where each filter includes both the right and left bandportions. More particularly, the first aperture 10388 is includes aR_(R)R_(L) filter, the second aperture 1038G includes a G_(R)G_(L)filter and the third aperture 1038B includes a filter B_(R)B_(L) filter.Accordingly, the three apertures 1038R, 1038G, and 1038B each may passlight of a different color spectrum as illustrated in FIG. 10C which isa graph of colors passed through the first through third apertures1038R, 1038G, and 1038B, respectively, in accordance with an embodimentof the present system. During use, R_(R)R_(L), G_(R)G_(L), andB_(R)B_(L) filters of the first, second and third apertures 1038R,1038G, 1038B, respectively, may pass corresponding colors and blockother colors of light from the source 1310 as the wheel 1383 rotates.Thus, rotation of the wheel 1083 with the thee apertures simultaneouslyprovides both right and left one color (e.g., red, green, and blue, insequence) illumination for simultaneously imaging both right and leftred images on the right and left areas 1150, 1155 of the FPA 330′ shownin FIG. 11B. Accordingly, after three illuminations with R_(R)R_(L),G_(R)G_(L), B_(R)B_(L) in any sequence, the image information obtainedfrom the FPA 330′ may be processed and a corresponding full color imageis obtained.

FIG. 11A shows an imaging system 1100A having an endoscope with a singlelens 1130 in accordance with an embodiment of the present system. Inresponse to sequential illumination, where light having the half-band ofa color sequentially (or one at a time) illuminates the ROI 115 (namely,by six sequential illumination in any order using the following sixcolored lights R_(R), R_(L), G_(R), G_(L), B_(R), B_(L)), the singlelens 1130 may sequentially receive one at a time six sub-images of theright and left images from the right and left multi-band pass filters710 and 720, respectively, covering the right and left pupils 585 and590, respectively. The single lens 1130 may form the image on the entire(or a substantial portion of) an image capture area 1110 of the FPA 330.The system may process six sequential images captured during sixsequential illuminations and process the six sequential images to form afull stereo (e.g., right and left) color image. The six sequentialimages may correspond with a sequential formation of RGB right and RGBleft images on the entire image capture area 1110 of the FPA 330 (in anysequence such as R_(R), G_(R), B_(R), R_(L), G_(L), B_(L), or R_(R),R_(L), G_(R), G_(L), B_(R), B_(L), etc.). Thus, the entire or asubstantial portion of the image capture area 1110 of the FPA 330 may beused to from a single image. With regard to the FPA 330, it may have across section (e.g., an image capture area) which is shaped and sizedsuch that an image of sufficient detail may be captured. For example, asshown, the FPA 630 may include a circular cross section 1120. Of course,that shape of the FPA cross section and/or FPA image portions may anyshape, such as circular, oval, square, rectangular, etc.

FIG. 11B shows an imaging system 1100B having an endoscope with a duallens configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the presentsystem. The endoscope system 1100B is similar to the endoscope system1100A. However, the endoscope system 1100B includes two lenses 1140,1145 (as opposed to a single lens). In response to simultaneousillumination with both right and left sub-colors, the two lenses 1140,1145 may simultaneously receive right and left images from the right andleft multi-band pass filters 710 and 720, respectively, covering theright and left pupils 885 and 890, respectively. Each of the two lenses1140 and 1145 projects an image of a ROI 115 on a half the FPA area. Inparticular, the right lens 1140 forms an image on the right FPA area1150 (e.g., a right halve) and the left lens 1145 forms an image on theleft FPA area 1155 (e.g., left halve). To minimize cross sectional area,the FPA may have an oval cross section 1160. However, other shapes andsizes are also envisioned. Of course, instead of the two lenses 1140,1145, a single lens (such as the lens 1130 shown in FIG. 11A) may bealso be used to simultaneously receive right and left images from theright and left multi-band pass filters 710 and 720, respectively, inresponse to simultaneous illumination with both right and leftsub-colors, such as a first illumination using red right and left lightsR_(R) and R_(L), followed by a second illumination using G_(R) andG_(L), and again followed by a third illumination using B_(R) and B_(L),for example. Accordingly, a full color stereo (right and left) colorimage is formed using image information which corresponds with imagesfrom three sequential illuminations, each of which may correspond with:

R_(R), R_(L) red right and left images formed (at one sequence)simultaneously on the right and left halves 1150 and 1155, respectively,of the FPA 330′, such as at the first sequential illumination;

G_(R), G_(L) green right and left images formed at another sequence,such as at the second sequential illumination to simultaneously formright and left green images on the right and left halves 1150 and 1155,respectively, of the FPA 330′, and

B_(R), B_(L) blue right and left images formed at the final sequence tosimultaneously form right and left green images on the right and lefthalves 1150 and 1155 of the FPA 330′.

After three time-sequential illuminations, three (superimposed) rightand left images formed on the right and left halves 1150, 1155 of theFPA 330′. The three time-sequential illuminations provide threeilluminations in the following three bands R_(R)R_(L), G_(R)G_(L),B_(R)B_(L) in any sequence (G_(R)G_(L), R_(R)R_(L), B_(R)B_(L), orB_(R)B_(L), G_(R)G_(L), R_(R)R_(L) etc.) Of course, if desired, the fullcolor image may be formed after six sequential illuminations forproviding light in the six bands sequentially, R_(R), G_(R), B_(R),R_(L), G_(L)B_(L), or in any other sequence.

It is also envisioned that a triangulator may be provided to adjust analignment of imaging portions (e.g., lenses, etc.) apparatus such thatthey may be parallel or non-parallel (e.g., toed inward) to each other.The triangulator may be controlled by automatically by acontroller/processor and/or manually by a user.

The imaging systems discussed above may be incorporated into endoscopessuch as scissor-type rotating angle MIS endoscopes as will be discussedbelow with reference with FIGS. 12A through 21.

FIG. 12A shows a front perspective view of a stereoscopic imaging system1200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present system. Thestereoscopic imaging system 1200 may include an imaging portion whichhas two lenses 1214 so as to capture stereoscopic images as describedabove. Illuminators 1212 may receive light (e.g., RGB, or white light)from a light source (e.g., LEDs, Xenon bulbs, etc.) via a light guide(s)such as a fiber optic cable(s) 1204, and emit light for illuminating aROI for viewing and/or image capture. However, it is also envisionedthat the illuminators 1212 may include light from, for example, one ormore light sources situated within the body portion 1202 which mayinclude a lens barrel 1210 attached thereto. The body portion 1202 maybe sized and/or shaped as desired (e.g., round, square, oval, etc.). Animage capture portion, such as a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device), CMOS(Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor device), FPA, etc., and/or animage processing portion may be included within the body portion 1202.The FPA may capture images projected thereon by one or more lenses,filters, pupils, etc., situated within the lens barrel 1210. Theprocessing portion may process the images for transmission via, forexample, one or more power and signal cables 1206 to be displayed on adisplay. The lens barrel 1210 may be attached to the body portion 1202via an interface 1208 such as a bayonet mount, etc. Accordingly, thelens barrel may be swapped and/or removable from the body portion 1202.

FIG. 12B shows a rear perspective view of a stereoscopic imaging system1200 of FIG. 12A in accordance with an embodiment of the present system.The imaging portions of the present system may be incorporated withendoscopes, robotic arms, etc. such as is shown elsewhere in thedescription. However, it is also envisioned that the stereoscopicimaging system 1200 may include wireless communication portions whichmay wirelessly receive and/or transmit information.

FIG. 13 illustrates a stereoscopic imaging device 1300 in accordancewith an embodiment of the present system. The stereoscopic imagingdevice 1300 may provide forward and rearward views of a ROI and may besimilar MIS tools as described in U.S. Patent Application No.2009/0187072 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.The stereoscopic imaging device 1300 may include body portion 1318,handles 1306, a shaft 1310, a linkage portion 1312, a stereoscopicimaging portion 1302, and a mirror, a lens portion and/or imagingsystems 1304 (such as including a camera portion 1402, 1802 shown inFIGS. 14-18B). The linkage portion 1312 may be coupled to one of thescissor-type handles 1306 such that movement of the coupled scissor-typehandle 1306 may result in displacement of the linkage portion 1312. Thestereoscopic imaging portion 1302 may be coupled to the linkage portion1312 such that displacement of the linkage portion 1312 may cause thestereoscopic imaging portion to be rotationally displaced or otherwisedeflected so as to change a viewing direction. The stereoscopic imagingportion 1302 may capture images which are reflected off of a reflectiveportion such as mirror 1304 so as to capture images of an ROI 115 in arearward viewing direction (in relation to the a longitudinal axis ofthe shaft 1310) illustrated by arrow 1308 at one or more viewing angles.The angle of the mirror or imaging system 1304 may be adjusted andlocked in position so that a desired viewing angle may be obtained.Further, the mirror or other imaging systems may be removed (orotherwise adjusted) so that the stereoscopic imaging portion 1302 maycapture a forward view as illustrated by arrow 1309. As will bedescribed, instead of or in addition to the mirror 1304, the imagingportion 1302 may include rotary devices to rotate the imaging portion1302, or parts thereof, in order to provide rearward viewing.

FIG. 14 illustrates an endoscope 1400 in accordance with an embodimentof the present system. The endoscope 1400 may be similar to theendoscope 1300 (FIG. 13) and may include one or more of a body portion1418, handles 1406, a shaft 1410, a distal end portion 1422, cables 1412including a light guide(s) shown as reference numeral 1420 in FIG. 16,and a camera portion 1402. The body portion 1418 may be coupled to thehandles 1706 such that one handle 1406 of the handles 1406 may moverelative to the body portion 1418. The shaft 1410 may be coupled at aproximal end to the body portion 1418 and may be coupled to the distalend portion 1422 at its distal end. The shaft 1410 may include anopening for receiving a rod (e.g., see, 1416, FIGS. 15-17) which may becoupled at a proximal end to one of the handles 1406 and may be coupledat a distal end to a gear rack 1432 (FIG. 17) such that displacement ofone handle 1406 relative to the other handle 1406 may cause displacementof rod 1416 and the gear rack 1432 in a direction which may be parallelto the longitudinal axis 1413 of the shaft. The camera portion 1402 maybe rotatably coupled to the distal end portion 1422 at pivot 1423 (FIG.18) such that the camera portion 1402 may rotate about a pivot axis 1414as illustrated by arrow 1417 (FIG. 14). The rotation may be greater than120 degrees as indicated by arrow 1419 (FIG. 14). Accordingly, thecamera portion 1402 may rotate by about ±120 degrees horizontally aboutits pivot axis 1414.

As shown in FIGS. 14-15 and 17, the camera portion 1402 may include apinion 1430 (FIG. 17) which may engage the gear rack 1432 such thatmovement of the rod 1416 (e.g., caused by displacement of the handleportion 1406 coupled thereto) in a direction which is longitudinal tothe shaft 1410 may cause the camera to rotate about the pivot axis 1414.Accordingly, when the handle 1406 which is coupled to the shall isdisplaced relative to the other handle 1406, the rod 1416 is displacedin a direction which is relative to the longitudinal direction of theshaft 1410. The cables 1412 may include a light guide and/ortransmission reception cables, etc. for transmitting (e.g., imageinformation, etc.) and receiving (e.g., control commands, power, etc.)various information and/or power. However, it is also envisioned thatinformation may be transmitted and/or received using a wirelesscommunication method. The light guide 1420 may include a fiber opticline which may couple an illuminator (e.g., see, 1442, FIG. 16) of thecamera portion 1402 to a light source such as a Xenon, LED, or otherlight source.

FIG. 14 is a detailed view of the distal end portion 1422 of theendoscope 1400 (shown by a dotted circle labeled 15 in FIG. 14) inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system. The camera portion1402 is shown rotatably displaced such that side facing images may becaptured. The rod 1416 may be held in position against the pinion (e.g.,see, 1430, FIG. 17) by a rail or track 1432.

FIG. 16 is a detailed view of the distal end portion 1422 of theendoscope 1400 (FIG. 14) in accordance with an embodiment of the presentsystem. The camera portion 1402 may include a body portion 1436 whichmay include two lugs 1438 which may engage corresponding openings 1440in the distal end portion 1422 which may define the pivot axis 1414(FIGS. 17-18) about which the camera portion 1402 may rotate.

In another embodiment, a rotatable interface between the light guide1420 and the camera 1402 provides for easier rotation of the camera1402. The rotatable interface comprises the at least one periscope whichmay be used along with at least one fiber optic cable to direct lightfrom light sources to the distal end of the camera to illuminate the ROI115. Illustratively, one of the lugs 1438 comprises the periscopeconnected to the light guide 1420, e.g., a fiber optic cable thatreceives light from a light source(s) and provides light to one end ofthe periscope. The periscope comprises angled reflectors e.g., at 45degrees, for directing light from one (or entrance) end to another (orexit) end of the periscope. The angled reflectors may be one mirror atthe periscope entrance end to receive light from the fiber optic 1420and reflect light to another mirror located at the exit end of theperiscope. The second mirror reflects the light from the first mirror toexit out of the periscope exit end and to reflect from a surface, suchas the internal surface of the camera portion 1402, which is internallycoated. Light reflected from the internal surface of the camera housingis directed to exit from the front surface of the camera to illuminatethe ROI 115. For example, the reflected light exits from the peripheryof the camera front surface shown as an illuminator 1442 in FIG. 16.

The body portion 1436 may include the illuminator 1442, which maycomprise a diffuser to provide diffused illumination of the ROI, forexample, from around the body periphery. The illuminator 1442 mayinclude an optically conductive material (e.g., glass, plastic (e.g.,polycarbonate), mineral, etc.) and which may have an opticallyreflective coating 1446 (FIG. 17) applied to a surface thereof, such theinternal surface that receives light from the periscope exit end andreflect the light out to form the illuminator 1442. Accordingly, lightwhich enters the optically conductive material of the body portion 1736(e.g., from the light source via the light guide 1420) may be directedoutward from a front side of the illuminator 1442 as illustrated byarrow 1448. The illuminator 1442 may be coupled to the light guide 1420using any suitable method such as a mirror, an optical slip ring, directcoupling, etc. An image capture portion 1454 may capture images whichmay be processed and/or transmitted on a display of the system. Theimage capture portion 1454 may include a stereoscopic imaging apparatusas disclosed herein, e.g., an FPA, or may include a commercial off theshelf (COTS) camera(s) such as a wireless PILLCAM™ or the like.

FIG. 17 is a detailed view of the camera portion 1402 of the endoscope1400 in accordance with an embodiment of the present system. The pinion1430 may be attached to or formed integrally with a corresponding one ofthe lugs 1418 and is shown engaging the gear rack 1432. The imagecapture portion 1454 may include one or more apertures 1450 throughwhich 2D and/or stereoscopic and/or 3D images may be captured.Accordingly, for example, two inner apertures may be located in aninterior portion of the image capture portion 1454 and may view a ROIvia the aperture 1450. However, it is also envisioned that two apertures1450 spaced apart from each other may also be included, as described.

FIG. 18A is a detailed view of a distal end portion 1822 of an endoscope1800 in accordance with an embodiment of the present system. Theendoscope 1800 may be similar to the endoscope 1400 of FIG. 14. However,the camera portion 1802 may include apertures 1850 (through which imagesmay be captured) to provide a forward view shown by arrow 1860 in FIG.18B. The camera portion 1802 is handedly or rotatebly attached via thetwo lugs 1438 which in this case are offset from a centerline of thecamera portion 1802 such that the camera portion 1802 may be rotated byabout 180 degrees about its offset pivot axis 1814′ to provide arearward view, shown by arrow 1865 in FIG. 18B, which is substantiallyalong a longitudinal axis of a shaft portion 1810 (which is similar toshaft 1410 shown in FIG. 14) to which a distal end portion 1822 isattached. An illuminator 1842 may be similar to the illuminator 1442(shown in FIGS. 14-17) and may provide illumination to an ROI.

FIG. 19 shows a flow diagram that illustrates a process 1900 inaccordance with an embodiment of the present system. The process 1900may be performed using one or more computers and/or processors, e.g.,communicating over a network. The process 1900 can include one of moreof the following acts. Further, one or more of these acts may becombined and/or separated into sub-acts, if desired. In operation, theprocess may start during act 1901 and then proceed to act 1903.

During act 1903, the process may capture images in accordance with anembodiment of the present system. Accordingly, the process may perform astereoscopic image capture process to capture a plurality of left and/orright images of an ROI 115, as described, using illumination from one ormore sources. Then, the process may continue to act 1905.

During act 1905, the process may digitize and process the right and leftimages captured during act 1903 so as to form corresponding stereoscopicimage information, e.g., using ISOC (340 in FIG. 3) and/orprocessor(s)/controller(s) 2010 shown in FIG. 20. Then, the process maycontinue to act 1907.

During act 1907, the process may display the processed stereoscopicimages information, e.g., on a rendering device 2030 (FIG. 20) such asthe display 555 shown in FIG. 5, using a method suitable for displayingstereoscopic images. Then, the process may continue to act 1909.

During act 1909, the process may store the processed stereoscopic imageinformation in a memory 2020 (FIG. 20 of the system. Then, the processmay end at act 1911.

FIG. 20 shows a portion of a system 2000 (e.g., stand alone system,peer, server, device interconnected through a network, wired and/orwireless, etc.) in accordance with an embodiment of the present systemincluding an endoscopic unit 2090 connected to a network 2080 and a userinterface input/output device 2070. For example, a portion of thepresent system may include a processor 2010 operationally coupled to amemory 2020, a display 2030, a camera portion 2040, and a user inputdevice 2070. The memory 2020 may be any type of device for storingapplication data as well as other data related to the describedoperation. Application data, e.g., stored in memory 2020, and other dataare received by the processor 2010 for configuring (e.g., programming)the processor 2010 to perform operation acts in accordance with thepresent system. The processor 2010 so configured becomes a specialpurpose machine particularly suited for performing in accordance withthe present system, such as to correlate right and left sub-imageinformation to form a stereoscopic 3D image information for display onthe rendering device, e.g., display 2030.

The camera portion 2040 may include one or more lenses 2042, filters2044, image capture portion 2046 (e.g., an FPA, etc.), and anilluminators 2048 and may operate under the control of the processor2010. The camera portion 2040 may operate as a still camera, a videocamera, a 3D camera, etc. The processor may control or be configured tocontrol process the image information from the camera portion, may formcorresponding image information (such as 3D image information), and maystore the processed image information in accordance with one or morestandards such as, for example, an MPEG4 (Motion Picture ExpertsGroup-4) standard. The processor may control or also be furtherconfigured to control light sources (e.g., LEDs, Xenon bulbs, etc) whichmay provide light such as white light or RGB (e.g., red, green, and/orblue) light to the illuminators 2048. The system may further include asynchronizer, and/or the processor may be further configured tosynchronize operation (e.g. timing, etc.) of one or more of the lightsources, illuminator, optical filters, optical image capturing devices(e.g., the FPA), and image processors to operate in synch with eachother. Further, the system may include an image correlator, and/or theprocessor may be further configured to correlate data and/or sub-imagescaptured by the image capturing devices (e.g., the FPA) and formtherefrom full 3D and/or stereoscopic images, such as by superimposing 3or 6 sub-images obtained during illumination sequences, for example,obtained during 3 or 6 sequences of illumination with different colorlights, as described.

The operation acts may include requesting, providing, and/or renderingof content such as processed image information to render images such asstereoscopic/3D images on a display of the system. The user input 2070may include a keyboard, mouse, trackball, scissor mechanism, lever,remote control, or other device, including touch sensitive displays,which may be stand alone or be a part of a system, such as part of apersonal computer, personal digital assistant, mobile phone, set topbox, television or other device for communicating with the processor2010 via any operable link. The user input device 2070 may be operablefor interacting with the processor 2010 including enabling interactionwithin a UI as described herein. Clearly the processor 2010, the memory2020, display 2030 and/or user input device 2070 may all or partly be aportion of a computer system or other device such as a client and/orserver as described herein.

The methods of the present system are particularly suited to be carriedout by a computer software program, such program containing modulescorresponding to one or more of the individual steps or acts describedand/or envisioned by the present system. Such program may of course beembodied in a computer-readable medium, such as an integrated chip, aperipheral device or memory, such as the memory 2320 or other memorycoupled to the processor 2310.

The program and/or program portions contained in the memory 2020configure the processor 2010 to implement the methods, operational acts,and functions disclosed herein. The memories may be distributed, forexample between the clients and/or servers, or local, and the processor2010, where additional processors may be provided, may also bedistributed or may be singular. The memories may include anon-transitory memory. The memories may be implemented as electrical,magnetic or optical memory, or any combination of these or other typesof storage devices. Moreover, the term “memory” should be construedbroadly enough to encompass any information able to be read from orwritten to an address in an addressable space accessible by theprocessor 2010. With this definition, information accessible through anetwork is still within the memory, for instance, because the processor2010 may retrieve the information from the network for operation inaccordance with the present system.

The processor 2010 is operable for providing control signals and/orperforming operations in response to input signals from the user inputdevice 2070 as well as in response to other devices of a network andexecuting instructions stored in the memory 2020. The processor 2010 maybe an application-specific or general-use integrated circuit(s).Further, the processor 2010 may be a dedicated processor for performingin accordance with the present system or may be a general-purposeprocessor wherein only one of many functions operates for performing inaccordance with the present system. The processor 2010 may operateutilizing a program portion, multiple program segments, or may be ahardware device utilizing a dedicated or multi-purpose integratedcircuit.

Further variations of the present system would readily occur to a personof ordinary skill in the art and are encompassed by the followingclaims, including combination various elements of different embodiments,such as using a monochrome or a color FPA with any one of theembodiments, and combinations thereof, using 3, 6 or different numbersof colors/sub-colors for sequential illumination of the ROI and/orformation of images on the single FPA, using the entire FPA to image onesub-image and/or using FPA portions to simultaneously image at least 2sub-images on at least two portions of the FPA. Through operation of thepresent system, a virtual environment solicitation is provided to a userto enable simple immersion into a virtual environment and its objects.

Finally, the above-discussion is intended to be merely illustrative ofthe present system and should not be construed as limiting the appendedclaims to any particular embodiment or group of embodiments. Thus, whilethe present system has been described with reference to exemplaryembodiments, it should also be appreciated that numerous modificationsand alternative embodiments may be devised by those having ordinaryskill in the art without departing from the broader and intended spiritand scope of the present system as set forth in the claims that follow.In addition, any section headings included herein are intended tofacilitate a review but are not intended to limit the scope of thepresent system. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to beregarded in an illustrative manner and are not intended to limit thescope of the appended claims.

In interpreting the appended claims, it should be understood that:

a) the word “comprising” does not exclude the presence of other elementsor acts than those listed in a given claim;

b) the word “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude thepresence of a plurality of such elements;

c) any reference signs in the claims do not limit their scope;

d) several “means” may be represented by the same item or hardware orsoftware implemented structure or function;

e) any of the disclosed elements may be comprised of hardware portions(e.g., including discrete and integrated electronic circuitry), softwareportions (e.g., computer programming), and any combination thereof;

f) hardware portions may be comprised of one or both of analog anddigital portions;

g) any of the disclosed devices or portions thereof may be combinedtogether or separated into further portions unless specifically statedotherwise:

h) no specific sequence of acts or steps is intended to be requiredunless specifically indicated; and

i) the term “plurality of” an element includes two or more of theclaimed element, and does not imply any particular range of number ofelements; that is, a plurality of elements may be as few as twoelements, and may include an immeasurable number of elements.

1. An endoscope for providing a stereoscopic three dimensional image ofa region of interest inside of a body, the endoscope comprising: ahousing having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end beinginsertable into a cavity of the body; an imaging device at the distalend for obtaining optical images of the region of interest, andprocessing the optical images for forming video signals; and aconnecting device between the imaging device and the proximal end forconnecting the imaging device to an illumination source and a display,the connecting device providing the video signals to the display fordisplaying the optical images of the region of interest; wherein theimaging device comprises: a single focal plane detector array at a frontend facing the region of interest for obtaining the optical images, andprocessing circuits at a back end behind the single focal plane detectorarray so that the processing circuits does not enlarge a cross sectionof the imaging device, the processing circuits being configured toconvert the optical images into the video signals; a right pupil forreceiving a right image through a right multi-band pass filter havingright three pass bands; a left pupil for receiving a left image througha left multi-band pass filter having left three pass bands, wherein theright multi-band pass filter having the right three pass bands is thecomplement of the left multi-band pass filter having left three passbands; a lens system for imaging the right image and the left imagedirectly on the single focal plane detector array; and illuminators forilluminating the region of interest through a multi-band pass filterhaving the right three pass bands and the left three pass bands, whereinthe multi-band pass filter is matched to the right multi-band passfilter and the left multi-band pass filter so that when the right pupilreceives light reflected from the region of interest then the left pupilis blocked from receiving the light.
 2. The endoscope of claim 1,wherein the right three pass bands are separated by right stop bands andthe left three pass bands are separated by left stop bands, the rightstop bands matching the left three pass and the left stop bands matchingthe right three pass bands.
 3. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein theilluminators provide illumination controlled by a controller forilluminating the imaging device through the multi-band pass filter sothat the region of interest is illuminated one at a time by light withinone of the right three pass bands and the left three pass bands.
 4. Theendoscope of claim 1, wherein the right three pass bands and the leftthree pass bands are within a visible spectrum having three primarycolors so that each primary color is divided into a right primary colorand a left primary color, the right primary color being a metamer of theleft primary color.
 5. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the connectingdevice comprises a cable including: right light guides for providing aright illumination at the illuminators including providing one at a timeright sub-lights at the right three pass bands from the right multi-bandpass filter; and a left light guide for providing a left illumination atthe illuminators including providing one at a time left sub-lights atthe left three pass bands from the left multi-band pass filter.
 6. Theendoscope of claim 5, wherein the right multi-band pass filter isilluminated by a right white light source through a right rotating wheelhaving an aperture for providing a right white light one at a time tothe right multi-band pass filter; and wherein and the left multi-bandpass filter is illuminated by a left white light source through a leftrotating wheel having an aperture for providing a left white light oneat a time to the left multi-band pass filter; wherein the right and leftmulti-band pass filters are located at entrance sides or exit sides ofthe right light guides and the a left light guide, respectively.
 7. Theendoscope of claim 5, wherein the right multi-band pass filter isilluminated by a white light source through a single rotating wheelhaving three apertures for sequentially providing: a red light through ared multi-band pass filter having right-red and left-red bands to theright pupil and the left pupil, a green light through a green multi-bandpass filter having right-green and left-green bands to the right pupiland the left pupil, and a blue light through a blue multi-band passfilter having right-blue and left-blue bands to the right pupil and theleft pupil; wherein a full color image is collected after threesequential illuminations through the three apertures of the singlerotating wheel.
 8. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the connectingdevice comprises light guides illuminated by three right white lightsources for providing a right illumination including providing one at atime right sub-lights at the right three pass bands from the rightmulti-band pass filter; the light guides being further illuminated bythree left white light sources for providing a left illuminationincluding providing one at a time left sub-lights at the left three passbands from the left multi-band pass filter.
 9. The endoscope of claim 8,wherein the three right white light sources each have a bandpass filterhaving one of the right three pass bands, and the three left white lightsources each have a bandpass filter having one of the left three passbands.
 10. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the lens system comprises alens configured to image the right image and the left image, one at atime, on substantially an entire area of the single focal plane detectorarray.
 11. The endoscope of claim 10, wherein a cross section of theimaging device is substantially circular.
 12. The endoscope of claim 10,further comprising a controller for time-multiplexing the right imageand the left image imaged sequentially on the single focal planedetector array.
 13. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the lens systemcomprises two lenses configured to image the right image on a firstportion of the single focal plane detector array, and image the leftimage on a second portion of the single focal plane detector array. 14.The endoscope of claim 13, wherein a cross section of the imaging deviceis substantially oval.
 15. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein a footprintof the imaging device is substantially identical to a footprint of thesingle focal plane detector array.
 16. The endoscope of claim 1, whereinthe imaging device is formed from stacked layers stacked axially along alongitudinal axis of the endoscope, the imaging device having the singlefocal plane detector array at the front end and the processing circuitsformed on at least one layer stacked at the back end of the imagingdevice over the single focal plane detector array, the at least onelayer being connected to the single focal plane detector array throughconnection bumps.
 17. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the imagingdevice comprises a folded substrate having the single focal planedetector array at the front end and the processing circuits at the backend of the imaging device.
 18. A dual objective endoscope for insertioninto a cavity of a body for providing a stereoscopic three-dimensionalimage of a region of interest inside of the body comprising: a firstbore having a first lens for receiving first image rays from the regionof interest; a second bore having a second lens for receiving secondimage rays from the region of interest; illuminators for sequentiallyilluminating the region of interest with red, green and blue lights; anda single focal point array for simultaneously imaging the first imagerays and the second image rays on different first and second areas ofthe array, wherein a full color image is collected after threesequential illuminations with the red, green and blue lights,respectively.
 19. The dual objective endoscope of claim 18, wherein theilluminators are coupled through at least one light guide to at leastone light source external to the body for providing the red, green andblue lights.
 20. The dual objective endoscope of claim 19, wherein theat least one light source comprises a white light source and a rotatingcolor wheel with three openings covered with red, green and bluefilters, respectively, for sequentially providing the red, green andblue lights upon rotation of the color wheel.
 21. The dual objectiveendoscope of claim 19, wherein the at least one light source comprisesred, green and blue LEDs and a controller for sequentially turning thered, green and blue light sources one at a time.
 22. The dual objectiveendoscope of claim 19, wherein: the at least one light guide comprisesthree light guides having red, green and blue filters, respectively; theat least one light source comprises a white light source and a wheel;and the wheel has an opening that, upon alignment with one light guideof the three light guides when the wheel rotates, allows the white lightto pass through the one light guide, for providing sequentialillumination of the three light guides due to rotation of the wheel. 23.A medical imaging system comprising: a rigid shaft having proximal anddistal ends and an opening situated between the proximal and distalends, the shaft defining a longitudinal first axis extending between theproximal and distal ends; a rod having proximal and distal ends andsituated within the opening; first and second handles coupled to theshaft at the proximal end of the shaft, one of the first or secondhandles coupled to the rod a proximal end of the rod; an imaging portionsituated at the distal end of the shaft and coupled to a distal end ofthe rod such that displacement of one of the first and second handlestowards the other of the first and second handles rotates the imagingportion about a second axis.
 24. The medical imaging system of claim 23,further comprising a camera coupled to the imaging portion, the camerabeing a two-dimensional camera or a three-dimensional camera.
 25. Themedical imaging system of claim 24, wherein the imaging portion furthercomprises an illumination source for providing illumination in adirection of the camera.
 26. The medical imaging system of claim 25,wherein the imaging portion further comprises a periscope between theillumination source and the camera.
 27. The medical imaging system ofclaim 23, further comprising a rack coupled to the distal end of therod, wherein the imaging portion further comprises a pinion coupled tothe rack and having an axis which is parallel to the second axis. 28.The medical imaging system of claim 23, wherein the camera has a viewingdirection which can rotate more than 120 degrees about the second axis.29. The medical imaging system of claim 23, wherein the camera has aviewing direction projects substantially forward or rearward along thelongitudinal first axis of the rigid shaft.
 30. An endoscope system forobtaining three dimension (3D) images, the endoscope system comprising:a multi-bandpass filter which sequentially passes a different colorspectrum of light of a plurality of color spectrums of light during animage illumination interval such that a different color of light ispassed during each image illumination interval of a plurality of imageillumination intervals which form an image illumination period; an imagecapture portion which sequentially captures a plurality of images eachcorresponding with a different color spectrum of light which passesthrough the multi-bandpass filter during a corresponding imageillumination interval of the plurality of image illumination intervals;an image processing portion which processes the sequentially capturedplurality of images for each image illumination interval of and formscorresponding 3D image information corresponding with a plurality of thesequentially captured plurality of images; and a three dimensionaldisplay which renders the 3D image information.
 31. The endoscope systemof claim 30, further comprising an illumination source configured tosequentially output the different color spectrum of light during eachimage illumination interval such that different color spectrums of lightare output during any two successive image illumination intervals of theplurality of image illumination intervals.
 32. The endoscope system ofclaim 30, wherein the multi-bandpass filter further comprises: a motor;and a disk having one or more openings and coupled to the motor, whereinthe motor rotates the disk at a rotational frequency which is inverselyrelated to image illumination period.
 33. A medical endoscope system forobtaining three-dimensional images, the medical endoscope systemcomprising: a multi-bandpass optical filter which sequentially passes adifferent color spectrum of light, of a plurality of color spectrums oflight, during an image illumination interval; an image capture portionwhich sequentially captures a plurality of images each correspondingwith a different color spectrum of light which passes through themulti-bandpass optical filter; and an image processing portion whichprocesses the sequentially captured plurality of images for each imageillumination interval and forms corresponding 3D image information. 34.The medical endoscope system of claim 33, further comprising: anillumination source configured to sequentially output different colorspectrums of light; and a three dimensional display which renders the 3Dimage information
 35. The medical endoscope system of claim 33, whereinthe multi-bandpass optical filter further comprises disk having one ormore openings forming pupils.
 36. The medical endoscope system of claim33, wherein the multi-bandpass filter is located at a distal end of theendoscope.
 37. A method to obtain three dimensional images from anendoscope, the method comprising acts of: sequentially passing adifferent color spectrum of light of a plurality of color spectrums oflight through a multi-bandpass filter during an image illuminationinterval such that a different color of light is passed through themulti-bandpass filter during each image illumination interval of aplurality of image illumination intervals which form an imageillumination period; sequentially capturing a plurality of images eachcorresponding with a different color spectrum of light which passesthrough the multi-bandpass filter during a corresponding imageillumination interval of the plurality of image illumination intervalsusing an image capture portion; and processing the sequentially capturedplurality of images for each image illumination interval and formingcorresponding 3D image information corresponding with the sequentiallycaptured plurality of images using an image processing portion.
 38. Themethod of claim 37, further comprising acts of: sequentially outputtingthe different color spectrum of light during each image illuminationinterval such that different color spectrums of light are output duringany two successive image illumination intervals of the plurality ofimage illumination intervals; and rendering the 3D image information ona display of the system configured to display three dimensional images.39. The method of claim 37, further comprising an act of selectivelycontrolling the multi-bandpass optical filter to pass only currentlyselected spectrum of light of the plurality of color spectrums of lighteach different from each other.
 40. The method of claim 37, furthercomprising an act of synchronizing two or more of an illuminator, amulti-bandpass optical filter, and an image capture portion to operatesubstantially synchronously with each other.
 41. A method to obtainthree dimensional images from an endoscope, the method comprising actsof: sequentially passing a different color spectrum of light, of aplurality of color spectrums of light, during an image illuminationinterval using a multi-bandpass optical filter; sequentially capturing aplurality of images each corresponding with a different color spectrumof light which passes through the multi-bandpass optical filter using animage capture portion; processing the sequentially captured plurality ofimages for each image illumination interval and forming corresponding 3Dimage information using an image processing portion; and rendering the3D image information on a display of the system configured to displaythree dimensional images.
 42. The method of claim 41, further comprisingsituating an optical lens portion of the endoscope between themulti-bandpass optical filter and the image processing portion at adistal end of the endoscope at an end of the endoscope and within a bodybarrel of the endoscope.
 43. The method of claim 41, further comprisingan act of forming the main body barrel of the endoscope to have proximaland distal ends and an outside diameter less than 6 mm at the distalend.
 44. The method of claim 41, further comprising an act of situatingthe multi-bandpass filter at a distal end of the endoscope.